Bill Brock is both the Monroe City Manager and the Monroe City Professional Engineer.

With the $787 Billion Stimulus a reality, Butler county is sure to find additional funding for their 5 major infrastructure projects including possibly the 63 extension project.

I asked Bill Brock about the Butler County Infrastructure Project: STATE ROUTE 63 EXTENSION with an estimated cost of $138.2 million.

Beagle: What is the City of Monroe's official position on the proposed ST RT 63 extension?Brock: The City has never stood in the way of the extension of SR63. We provided our opinion on the alignment as it would affect our residential and industrial property. The preferred alignment for the route was set despite our opinions on that route. The project has never been funded.

Those who supported the preferred alignment would not take the steps to secure the new alignment because funding did not exist to do so. Since properties within the preferred alignment were already approved for platting, there was little the City could do to preserve the alignment without significant payments to those property owners as a result of a taking. Since then, development has occurred and a new alignment has been studied and proposed.

Beagle: Has the city approved the new alignment?Brock: We are reviewing the alignment through the comprehensive planning process. The Council will determine, based on the recommendation from the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee, if the alignment should be included in the City’s Transportation Plan.

The City has continually asked that plans for the construction of an extension include study of the existing roadway to ensure that proper traffic flow will occur through the City as a result of increased traffic. While we will not commit funds to the extension, we are required to plan for, fund and maintain any future needs of the approximately 5 miles of existing roadway and its connecting thoroughfares.

Beagle: What do you think, will the extension ever happen?Brock: The City will continue to keep an eye on the progress of the project with the understanding that funding does not currently exist and is not anticipated to exist in the near future.